Question

Today, we know that the role of vitamins and minerals goes way beyond the prevention of deficiency diseases (维生素缺乏症) to actually preventing cancer and heart disease, the most fearsome killers of our time. With this knowledge has come the widespread call for nutritional supplementation (营养补充) — and a confusing group of vitamin, mineral, and supplements lining the supermarket shelves.

Far from contributing to better health, however, nutritional supplements threaten to turn a scientific breakthrough into a nutritional disaster.

Promoters of vitamins and minerals — especially vitamins A, C, and E— would have consumers believe that the little vitamin pill in the bottle is all they need for good health. Take your vitamins in the morning, and you’re covered. It’s okay to eat fast foods for the rest of the day or skip meals to achieve today’s fashionably skinny look. But vitamins and minerals are only one part of the nutritional puzzle. A diet rich in fiber (纤维) and balanced in carbohydrates and protein is essential for good health. You can’t get these things from a nutritional supplement. The focus on vitamin and mineral supplements may actually be robbing us of the full nutrition we seek.

And no supplement can compare to the quality of nutrition found in natural sources. For example, our bodies turn carotenes (胡萝卜素) from plant foods into vitamin A. Many supplements contain a single carotene, but natural sources are rich in many different carotenes. Many supplements contain a form of vitamin E that is made from chemicals, when natural vitamin E is more readily absorbed and used by the body. And science is still discovering the wealth of nutrients in foods.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a supplement as nutritionally comprehensive and powerful as a balanced diet. Even if you could, you’d pay much more than if you got the same nutritional value from natural sources.

But perhaps the greatest danger presented by nutritional supplements comes from the very real risks presented by self-medication. Anyone can walk into the market and buy as many different supplements as desired. The reported benefits of high dosages of certain nutrients have led some people to believe that the more the better. Many take several vitamin and mineral supplements without regard to possible consequences.

Surprising new research suggests that vitamin C pills may speed up hardening of the arteries, the underlying cause of heart attacks. Researchers said their findings support the recommendations of health organizations, which urge people to avoid high doses of supplements and to get their nutrients from food instead.

As appealing as they’re made to sound, nutritional supplements are danger in disguise. If you’re looking for good health, don’t look on the supplement shelves of your supermarket. Look in the produce section instead.

1.What has given rise to the great need for nutritional supplements?

A. The knowledge of deficiency diseases.

B. The low prices of nutritional supplements.

C. The frighteningly high death rate from cancer and heart disease.

D. The information about the role of vitamins and minerals in health.

2.The “promoters” (Paragraph 3) most probably refers to ________.

A. businessmenB. doctorsC. scientistsD. fast food lovers

3.According to the passage, nutritional supplements ________.

A. are made from chemicals

B. are ineffective in supplying fiber

C. provide too much vitamin C

D. contain a kind of dangerous carotene

4.By describing nutritional supplements as “danger in disguise” in the last paragraph, the writer means that they are ________.

A. of little help

B. of poor quality

C. potentially harmful

D. extremely poisonous

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.B

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文介绍的是营养补充药对健康的影响。

1. 细节理解题。根据第三段最后一句The focus on vitamin and mineral supplements may actually be robbing us of the full nutrition we seek.（对维生素和矿物质补充剂的关注可能实际上是在掠夺我们所寻求的全部营养）可知，选D项。

2. 词义猜测题。根据第三段的内容，再根据常识可知，这些营养补充应该是由生意人提供的，故选A。

3. 细节理解题。根据第三段中A diet rich in fiber (纤维) and balanced in carbohydrates and protein is essential for good health. You can’t get these things from a nutritional supplement.可知，你从营养补充剂中不能得到纤维。故选B。

4. 推理判断题。根据最后一段第二句If you’re looking for good health, don’t look on the supplement shelves of your supermarket.（如果你寻求健康的身体，别看你超市货架上的营养补充药。）可知，这些东西对你的身体是有害的。故选C。

【名师点睛】

猜测词义题。阅读材料中的每个词与它前后的词语或句子甚至段落都有联系。我们可以利用语境（各种已知信息）推测、判断某些生词的词义。近年来全国统一高考中加大了对考生猜词义能力的考查，因此，掌握一定的猜词技巧，对突破高考阅读理解、提高我们的英语语言能力都有非常重要的意义。5.If you’re looking for good health, don’t look on the supplement shelves of your supermarket.（如果你寻求健康的身体，别看你超市货架上的营养补充药。）可知，这些东西对你的身体是有害的。故选C。

考点：考查健康类阅读